Working with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: secondary traumatisation
- Authors: Dzuguda, Hulisani
- Date: 2008-11-03T06:47:53Z
- Subjects: Truth and Reconciliation Commission (South Africa) , Psychic trauma , Stress (Psychology) , Post-traumatic stress disorder , Volunteers
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:14029 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1439
- Description: M.A. , The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Act was passed in 1995 and the TRC started its hearings in 1996. The purpose of the TRC was to promote national unity and reconciliation by establishing as complete a picture as possible of the human rights violations that had occurred during the apartheid era and to offer reparations to those who had been affected, as well as to grant amnesty to those who had committed these human rights violations. The TRC had to appoint people to help carry out its functions and deliver a report about human rights violations. Most of the people employed by the TRC to help carry out these functions were South African. Furthermore every South African had been involved in the past in one way or another, purely by being a South African. In this project the author explores, analyses and interprets the experiences of some of the people who were employed by the TRC. The focus of this project is to find out whether being employed by the TRC and having to listen to the stories being brought to the TRC exposed anyone to the possibility of developing what is called secondary traumatisation. This kind of traumatisation is different from the traumatisation that the people relating the stories had gone through during the apartheid years. This kind of traumatisation is said to develop from being exposed to traumatised people.
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- Authors: Dzuguda, Hulisani
- Date: 2008-11-03T06:47:53Z
- Subjects: Truth and Reconciliation Commission (South Africa) , Psychic trauma , Stress (Psychology) , Post-traumatic stress disorder , Volunteers
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:14029 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1439
- Description: M.A. , The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Act was passed in 1995 and the TRC started its hearings in 1996. The purpose of the TRC was to promote national unity and reconciliation by establishing as complete a picture as possible of the human rights violations that had occurred during the apartheid era and to offer reparations to those who had been affected, as well as to grant amnesty to those who had committed these human rights violations. The TRC had to appoint people to help carry out its functions and deliver a report about human rights violations. Most of the people employed by the TRC to help carry out these functions were South African. Furthermore every South African had been involved in the past in one way or another, purely by being a South African. In this project the author explores, analyses and interprets the experiences of some of the people who were employed by the TRC. The focus of this project is to find out whether being employed by the TRC and having to listen to the stories being brought to the TRC exposed anyone to the possibility of developing what is called secondary traumatisation. This kind of traumatisation is different from the traumatisation that the people relating the stories had gone through during the apartheid years. This kind of traumatisation is said to develop from being exposed to traumatised people.
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The role of certain temperament dimensions in journalists who experience work related trauma: a comparative study
- Authors: Marais, Andrea
- Date: 2008-11-06T07:28:10Z
- Subjects: Job stress , Temperament , Stress (Psychology) , Journalists , Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:14612 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1531
- Description: M.A. , The literature indicates that journalists who experience work related traumatic situations, are at risk for the development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Teegen & Grotwinkel, 2001). Moreover, some journalists who develop this disorder do so after covering a relatively minor traumatic story (Castle, 2001). Certain temperament traits have been implicated as vulnerabilities to the development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in police officers (Henning, 1999). Few research studies have investigated temperament and sense of coherence as mediating factors for occupational stress in journalists exposed to trauma. The aim of the present study was to address this dearth by investigating whether there are statistically significant differences in the experience of trauma, temperament traits and sense of coherence of journalists with varied responses to occupational stress and trauma. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised was used to divide journalists into three groups, namely those with minor reactions to trauma (n=10), moderate reactions (n=24) and severe reactions of clinical importance (n=16). The first group of hypotheses posed in the study pertains to group differences and postulates that the three groups will have statistically significant differences regarding trauma exposure. The second group of hypotheses deals with group differences and postulates that the three groups of journalists will differ regarding certain temperament dimensions. The third group of hypotheses formulated for the study proposes group differences regarding sense of coherence. Analysis of Variance followed by the Scheffé post hoc multiple comparisons technique indicated statistically significant differences between the three groups regarding experience of trauma as measured by the Trauma Questionnaire; certain temperament-personality traits as measured by the Personality Assessment Inventory and the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire; and sense of coherence as measured by The Sense of Coherence Questionnaire. The study revealed that the group with severe reactions to stress and trauma had been exposed to intense trauma involving people and that they report significant emotional reactions to the trauma. The Personality Assessment Inventory indicated that the severe reactions group has temperament profiles characterised by somatic complaints, anxiety, depression, paranoia, borderline features, aggression, suicidal ideation, stress and treatment rejection. This group also showed greater neuroticism-anxiety and aggression-hostility prone temperament types than the other two groups as well as lower comprehensibility and manageability as indicated by the Sense of Coherence Scale. The results of the present study exhibit support that there are various factors that could have an impact on how journalists deal with the traumatic stories they cover and what their personal outcomes are after covering these stories. Journalists who develop severe PTSD have different perceptions of the trauma, temperament profiles and sense of coherence that impact on their ways of coping with the traumatic situations they face daily. Criticism of the study deals mainly with gender, age, race and the subjects' pre-testing history, which were not controlled for. Another possible shortcoming of the research is that the journalists were sourced from main stream publications as well as community papers. This might have had an impact on the amount and type of trauma the journalists were exposed to. It would have been preferable to include a greater number of participants in the study to more efficiently address the many variables. Lastly, pre-trauma temperament traits were not controlled for, due to the complexity and ethical complications involved in the subject matter. It is recommended that age, gender, race, pre-testing history and pre-trauma traits is controlled. This will however require a large sample of journalists, which was not available for the present study. It would also be beneficial to compare frequency and type of trauma exposure, PTSD and temperament in a comparative study where community journalists are compared with main stream journalists. Lastly, the development of South African measures for temperament, PTSD and trauma would be highly advantageous to this field of research.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Marais, Andrea
- Date: 2008-11-06T07:28:10Z
- Subjects: Job stress , Temperament , Stress (Psychology) , Journalists , Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:14612 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1531
- Description: M.A. , The literature indicates that journalists who experience work related traumatic situations, are at risk for the development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Teegen & Grotwinkel, 2001). Moreover, some journalists who develop this disorder do so after covering a relatively minor traumatic story (Castle, 2001). Certain temperament traits have been implicated as vulnerabilities to the development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in police officers (Henning, 1999). Few research studies have investigated temperament and sense of coherence as mediating factors for occupational stress in journalists exposed to trauma. The aim of the present study was to address this dearth by investigating whether there are statistically significant differences in the experience of trauma, temperament traits and sense of coherence of journalists with varied responses to occupational stress and trauma. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised was used to divide journalists into three groups, namely those with minor reactions to trauma (n=10), moderate reactions (n=24) and severe reactions of clinical importance (n=16). The first group of hypotheses posed in the study pertains to group differences and postulates that the three groups will have statistically significant differences regarding trauma exposure. The second group of hypotheses deals with group differences and postulates that the three groups of journalists will differ regarding certain temperament dimensions. The third group of hypotheses formulated for the study proposes group differences regarding sense of coherence. Analysis of Variance followed by the Scheffé post hoc multiple comparisons technique indicated statistically significant differences between the three groups regarding experience of trauma as measured by the Trauma Questionnaire; certain temperament-personality traits as measured by the Personality Assessment Inventory and the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire; and sense of coherence as measured by The Sense of Coherence Questionnaire. The study revealed that the group with severe reactions to stress and trauma had been exposed to intense trauma involving people and that they report significant emotional reactions to the trauma. The Personality Assessment Inventory indicated that the severe reactions group has temperament profiles characterised by somatic complaints, anxiety, depression, paranoia, borderline features, aggression, suicidal ideation, stress and treatment rejection. This group also showed greater neuroticism-anxiety and aggression-hostility prone temperament types than the other two groups as well as lower comprehensibility and manageability as indicated by the Sense of Coherence Scale. The results of the present study exhibit support that there are various factors that could have an impact on how journalists deal with the traumatic stories they cover and what their personal outcomes are after covering these stories. Journalists who develop severe PTSD have different perceptions of the trauma, temperament profiles and sense of coherence that impact on their ways of coping with the traumatic situations they face daily. Criticism of the study deals mainly with gender, age, race and the subjects' pre-testing history, which were not controlled for. Another possible shortcoming of the research is that the journalists were sourced from main stream publications as well as community papers. This might have had an impact on the amount and type of trauma the journalists were exposed to. It would have been preferable to include a greater number of participants in the study to more efficiently address the many variables. Lastly, pre-trauma temperament traits were not controlled for, due to the complexity and ethical complications involved in the subject matter. It is recommended that age, gender, race, pre-testing history and pre-trauma traits is controlled. This will however require a large sample of journalists, which was not available for the present study. It would also be beneficial to compare frequency and type of trauma exposure, PTSD and temperament in a comparative study where community journalists are compared with main stream journalists. Lastly, the development of South African measures for temperament, PTSD and trauma would be highly advantageous to this field of research.
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The influence of a vehicle hijacking prevention intervention on stress experience and personal competence
- Authors: Wienand, Liezl
- Date: 2010-07-19T10:22:32Z
- Subjects: Carjacking , Post-traumatic stress disorder , Stress (Psychology)
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:6894 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3350
- Description: M.A. , One of the most perturbing factors of South Africa's communal existence is the high rates of violent crime and the high incidence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder JPTSD) amongst all communities. Crime-related PTSD is a problem of epidemic proportions. Therapeutic and mental health services for trauma related counselling are limited and in some communities non-existent. It is therefor essential to develop preventative programmes aimed at equipping individuals with the skills to avoid possible trauma-inducing situations such as vehicle hijacking. It was decided to utilise a vehicle hijacking management and -prevention programme developed especially for the purposes of a "short course" intervention approach. The experimental intervention was performed to provide skill and increase levels of personal competence in handling, or, ideally, avoiding a hijacking. A sample group of 35 was selected out of a white upper middle-class, middle aged population. The subjects were exposed to the intervention. The results indicated that the intervention produced significant positive change in self-efficacy beliefs in the experimental groups. Possible limitations of the study were sample sizes and the inherent nature of the groups. It was not possible to examine the relationship between sex and efficacy beliefs. No non-whites subjects were utilised and thus the relationship between race and efficacy beliefs was also not examined. It is recommended that the intervention programme be refined further and validated scientifically in order to be utilised in future research.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Wienand, Liezl
- Date: 2010-07-19T10:22:32Z
- Subjects: Carjacking , Post-traumatic stress disorder , Stress (Psychology)
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:6894 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3350
- Description: M.A. , One of the most perturbing factors of South Africa's communal existence is the high rates of violent crime and the high incidence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder JPTSD) amongst all communities. Crime-related PTSD is a problem of epidemic proportions. Therapeutic and mental health services for trauma related counselling are limited and in some communities non-existent. It is therefor essential to develop preventative programmes aimed at equipping individuals with the skills to avoid possible trauma-inducing situations such as vehicle hijacking. It was decided to utilise a vehicle hijacking management and -prevention programme developed especially for the purposes of a "short course" intervention approach. The experimental intervention was performed to provide skill and increase levels of personal competence in handling, or, ideally, avoiding a hijacking. A sample group of 35 was selected out of a white upper middle-class, middle aged population. The subjects were exposed to the intervention. The results indicated that the intervention produced significant positive change in self-efficacy beliefs in the experimental groups. Possible limitations of the study were sample sizes and the inherent nature of the groups. It was not possible to examine the relationship between sex and efficacy beliefs. No non-whites subjects were utilised and thus the relationship between race and efficacy beliefs was also not examined. It is recommended that the intervention programme be refined further and validated scientifically in order to be utilised in future research.
- Full Text:
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